Praying For Miracles
by DivergingFangirl5
Summary: This is the sequel to 'If Only'. Do not read if you haven't read the first story. The journey continues for Tris as she fights to find out who she really is and more importantly... who Eric is. Definite Eris.
1. Prologue

**Welcome back, welcome back.**

 **This is obviously the sequel to 'If Only' and it will follow the events of Insurgent. In this story, there will be more plot twists and drama. Characters may often be OOC to fit the plot, but it will start happening somewhere in the middle and continue until he end.**

 **Will be rated M later. But not just yet.**

 **Enjoy :)**

"Was I not clear that the terms of your sanctuary here included non-violence?"

"Well, I can guarantee you nothing like this will ever happen again," Four answers, shooting a pointed look at Tris. In return, she dismisses it, darting her eyes back at the head of Amity. Johanna.

The events of today made it feel like they were living in Amity for years. Whereas in actual fact, they only lived here for two days.

Tris decided to take Eric's advice, just not in the way he would've hoped she would take it. She ended up in Amity nevertheless. Except not on her own. There was Four. And Peter. And Caleb. And Marcus. All these people she collected on her way to Dauntless in her search for Tobias. It was like a treasure hunt. But this one was deadly. And she ended up collecting treasures she didn't want to collect.

Tris found Caleb and her father hiding with a bunch of Abnegation members in an abandoned building. She took them with her, not knowing what the consequences would be. Marcus tagged along. Despite her protests. Actually, she didn't protest at all. She just glared, hoping that he would get the hint and detach from the group.

Anyway. The journey to Dauntless was quick. Everybody obeyed her commands and jumped when she told them to jump. First from the train, and then from the roof.

Once they got there, everything was a blur. Tris can't remember much of what happened even now. She just knows that her father was murdered. And she was an orphan. She has lost everybody who ever cared for her. She was like Eric. Her family as well as his family were gradually being whacked out of their family portrait. One by one. Caleb was the only one left for her.

Eventually, she rescued Four, who was stuck in a sim which was controlled by the rest of Erudite. Tris has never seen anything like it. His look was the same. The gentleness and kindness in his eyes remained. But as soon as she set him free, he went for her throat, aching to kill her.

He woke up after she screamed his name, on the verge of having a bullet put through her head. He awoke.

And then they –Peter, Tris, Four, Caleb and Marcus- all boarded a train, not actually knowing where it was going to take them. After an hour's journey, Marcus decided that Amity was the safest place for refugees like themselves. And that's when Tris remembered Eric's advice. She agreed, not noticing Four's dumbfounded look.

The clacking of rails beneath the metallic train car was the only thing keeping her and Tobias awake, even though it lulled everybody else to sleep. (Peter was probably pretending to sleep because the wound in his shoulder was fresh and still bleeding from where Tris mercilessly shot him). The wind sent a breeze past her sweaty scalp as she leaned forward, watching the ground move beneath her. She felt Four's hand on her hip, steadying her slightly. They exchanged a smile. And that was when they had their first kiss. Tobias' heart was beating loud and clear in his chest. His hands tingled in excitement as they rushed up her back, thankful that her lips were moving against his.

Tris, on the other hand, could not get Eric out of her head. Four's kiss was sweet. But Eric's was more than sweet. It was always so much more.

As soon as they got to their destination, she made her way over to the nearest mirror –not phased that it was in a public hallway. At the time, nobody was in sight anyway, so she felt pretty alone. She picked up a pair of scissors and cut her long, thick locks. She cut them because everything was changing. Everything was already so different. And how could she still look the same? She couldn't.

Their first day in Amity was peaceful. No disturbances. No news of anybody hunting them down. But on the second day, everything got out of hand. Tris foolishly unleashed all of her emotions. All the sadness, all the fear, the regret and the anger and they consumed her. She attacked Peter. She nearly killed him. Johanna welcomed them gratefully. But now she wasn't sure that she made the right decision.

"Well, be that as it may," Johanna steps away from the massive window in her office. It overlooks the entire forest in the city. It is the most Amity view Tris has ever seen, "You can no longer stay here with us. Your presence is just too disruptive."

Tris bounces her leg up and down, glaring at the wooden floor planks beneath her chair. She feels pissed off. About having surrendered to her flood of emotions, about being lectured by probably the most annoying person on Amity campus, and by having to sit next to Peter, who looks as calm as ever. Did he forget about what just happened?

"Truth is that our sanctuary was never gonna last very long here anyways," Tris says, anger flaring in her eyes, "Was it? With you not standing up to Jeanine."

To her dismay, Johanna scoffs, shaking her head, "You don't understand us at all-"

"No, I do understand you," Tris cuts in, raising her voice, "I understand that you think you can stay out of this. But you can't. One day she's gonna show up and Jeanine is gonna take whatever power you think you have away from you-"

"Tris, Tris," Tobias raises his hand to silence her. Not in a way that may be deemed annoying. But in a way that soothes her, and still let's her know that she is going too far.

She doesn't understand what is going on between them. They have kissed. And they have said things only people who are in love can say. But Tris wasn't in love with him. So why was she playing along? Giving him hope?

"Look, Johanna, we need a little more time," he starts, "I need to find out where the rest of Dauntless are. And then we can leave."

"And then what? Attack Erudite?" Johanna faces him, "I will not be a party to violence."

Tris rolls her eyes, thinking that she is going to jump up from her seat and vacate the room.

"And no one's asking you to," Four reassures, "We just need a few more days."

Johanna narrows her eyes a Tris, considering her options. How bad could it be if she gave permission to violent teenagers to stay in her peaceful sanctuary? It is not Amity to consider violence. But it is also not Amity to destroy people's lives. And by saying 'no', she would be doing that.

"One," she says firmly, no hesitation in her voice. Tris looks up at her, furrowing her eyebrows.

"One what?"

"One more chance," Johanna clarifies, releasing a long overdue sigh, "See, to be Amity is to forgive," Great. Another lecture? "Others. And yourself," Tris looks down, knowing what is and what is not aimed at her, "You're hurting, Tris. And my heart goes out to you."

She feels tears prickling the backs of her eyes. Her heart starts thumping. She remembers her mom. The look on her face after she was dead. She looked distressed and hurt and alone. And Tris could never change that look. She was murdered.

"I know what it's like to stand helpless while you lose the ones you love," Johanna looks into the distance, clutching her heavy cardigan at her belly, "But killing Jeanine is not going to bring your mother back."

The tears have welled up and spilled down her cheeks.

"I know you're angry," she says, "but you're letting it consume you."

Tris wipes them away furiously, hoping that somehow nobody noticed. But of course they have. Four gives her a sympathetic look from across the room, letting his shoulders sag. Peter hides his smirk next to her. And Caleb gives her a quick glance before turning away. She forgot he was even there at all.

Rushed footsteps give her a slight jolt. She looks past Caleb, at an Amity man who has entered the office without an invite. This must be important.

"What is it?" Johanna hisses, stepping closer to him. He gives an inaudible answer. And then Four walks up to the massive window. At first it seems like he is watching the trees. But that can't be right. His eyes are too wide. His shoulders have risen again. He turns to look at Tris.

"They're here."

 **Review and tell me what you think :)**


	2. On The Run

**Thank you so much for the flattering comments for the previous chapter :) I didn't expect y'all to be this pumped about a story like this. I will try to do my best on every chapter, making it less canon as I go. Because canon will not last for long. I already warned you about that ;)**

Tris jumps up from her seat, taking her place next to Four. Together they stand in front of the window, his eyes fixed on something and hers just darting around. And then she sees them.

Trucks. Dauntless trucks. They smash the Amity fence as they emerge from the forest. The planks of wood get crushed under their massive wheels. The roars of their engines are too loud for this environment. They stand out like a sore thumb. A load of ravens fly from the trees, obviously disturbed by the unusual sounds.

Peter and Caleb stand behind Four, wanting to get a glimpse of the vehicles. They get about a second before Johanna gets everyone's attention.

"Stay here," she orders, "And keep quiet."

Tris watches her and the Amity man run down the spiral staircase. Their heads is the last thing she sees before Caleb blocks her view.

She widens her eyes, watching him do the same. She should have left him behind, where it was safer. With the rest of Abnegation.

She looks over her shoulder, watching the trucks park like they are in a game of Tetris. Dauntless soldiers pile out, guns strapped to their backs and some sort of devices in their hands. Her heart skips a beat when she sees Max. He is here. That can mean that Eric is too. But she can't see him from this angle. Not yet.

Suddenly, a clear female voice emerges through the speakers around Amity. She knows that voice. It belongs to Jeanine: _All Amity report to the dome for new mandatory testing. Please proceed to the dome for mandatory testing._

This was pre-recorded. She knew what she was doing. Jeanine planned to raid Amity even before they arrived here.

Caleb and Peter crouch on the floor next to Tris, listening to the deep voices booming orders outside. One of them could be Eric. She finds a small smile. If he is here, she should find him. He wouldn't hurt her. She is certain of that now.

Tobias gets up from his crouching position and jogs over to a set of windows, peeking out at the soldiers. His shoulders heave in distress as he watches. His expression is firm and concerned. Tris doesn't take her eyes off him. One change in his face and she would know. She would know who he saw below.

He jogs back over to them and clenches his jaw. She doesn't need to ask what he saw.

"Eric's here," he murmurs, "We need to move now. Come on."

"Wait," Tris whispers, getting up along with everyone else. Caleb and Peter start following him. But Tris stays glued to her spot. This causes Four to turn around.

"Tris, come on," he says sternly. His eyes are relaxed. But inside he is screaming. _Not now. Not now. Please don't do this now._

"I can talk to h-"

"We have to get out, Tris," he keeps his voice low as he grabs her wrists. His grip is so firm that her skin starts turning white. She feels like a dog. A dog he has trained for so long and now was the final showdown. And the dog is starting to misbehave and not follow the orders given. And that makes Four angry, worried and completely pissed. She would feel the same way. She doesn't blame him. _Don't be selfish._

Slowly, she walks after him, his grip still on her wrists. Just in case. Her heart threatens to jump out of her chest when she sees Eric dawdling down below. She sees the back of his neck. His built body and gelled hair. It takes her all the will power she has not to scream out his name.

He starts turning his head. Slowly. She sees the side of his face. His eyebrows are furrowed like they always are. Four steps back, making her collide with his body.

"Wait, stop," he whispers, raising both arms to create a barrier between them and the danger in front.

"What's up there?" Eric asks. Tris realizes that he is looking up. His voice is clearer.

"Just my office," Johanna replies.

A horse whines loudly, catching everyone's attention. Tris hears footsteps fading away, towards the sound. A part of her relaxes. And the bigger part of her washes up with melancholy. She clutches Four's arm tightly, not trusting herself to be in charge of her body. He starts moving again. And she follows.

He drags her over to another window, pushing her in front. She looks out through the glass, seeing more soldiers underneath. How are they going to escape?

"There's two guards with guns," she whispers. Caleb looks at her, wide eyed. Peter rolls his eyes for some reason. And Four nods. Then he slides the window open, as quietly as possible.

"We're going out the window?" Caleb asks, stepping back.

"We need to split up," Four steps closer to Peter, getting right in his face. Probably in order to contain his loud voice.

At first Peter looks hesitant, forming a lump in his throat that he can't quite swallow. And then he nods.

"Okay, yeah, okay," he whispers, glancing at Tris, "Every man for themselves."

"Good-"

"Hey, they're up here! Hey!" Peter yells, jumping away from the group.

Tris watches him in shock, finding that her foot steps away from the window. Peter runs over to the staircase, leaning over the railing.

"Eric, they're up here! Come on, they're getting away!"

Four grasps her hips roughly, shoving her towards the window again. She gasps, trying to slap his hands away.

"Eric," she manages to mumble.

"Tris, we need to go!" he wraps an arm around her, pulling her out of the window in one swift motion. She would have screamed. Or kicked her legs. Or defied him somehow. But she couldn't. Caleb was here. She needed to make sure that he was going to be safe.

"Ahh!" Caleb yelps as he lands onto the slabs. Some of them slide off the roof, clattering to the floor.

Four and Tris step onto the slabs more gracefully, backs pressed against the wall. Her heart drums in her ears, hope rising inside her. She needs to show herself to him. He wouldn't shoot. He would spare her life.

"Alright, are you ready?" Tobias looks at her, eyes glistening with concern. She nods, pushing the concern away. He mimics her nod before jumping down and onto one of the soldiers. Tris follows.

She slams her fist into the soldier's jaw, knocking him unconscious. His gun clanks against one of the slabs Caleb has displaced earlier. Tris takes it, wrapping the leather handle around her shoulder. She looks up to see that Tobias has done the same thing. Behind her, Caleb chews on his lip.

"Let's go," Tobias says before starting to run past Johanna's office. Caleb sprints after him, panting and groaning at the same time.

Tris feels the familiar ache in her legs, the sensation of strained muscles returning to her. They have been running for days now. She should have gotten used to it. But it still manages to agonize her.

Her finger curls around the trigger of the gun, a moan at the back of her throat. Her heart falters. She should not be carrying one of those right now. Not after everything that has happened. She releases a pained yelp, leaving the trigger alone. But she does not drop the gun. She might need it.

There is loud, repetitive banging against the wooden planks in the office they have just vacated. Tris can't help it. She turns her head to look. She wonders if Peter is still there. She wonders if they would kill him. But that's unlikely. He was working with Erudite before. When she found him guarding the control room at Dauntless. He will be fine.

She sees movement in the window. And then it slides open. Eric thrusts his body out, holding his pistol tightly. Even from the distance she sees his thick veins poking out of his hand. She wants those hands all over her again.

He is speaking to someone. His watch is near his mouth. He is giving orders. They lock eyes. And there is a small smile playing on his lips.

 **Review and tell me what you thought :)**


	3. Being In Two Places At Once

**Honestly, I tried to upload a new chapter as soon as the second part was up. But you know how it is. Life got in the way. Again and again and again. Finally, I got the chance to write this. Don't yell at me xD**

 **Enjoy this chapter :) After this, a bit more canon. And then boom.**

 **No canon at all ;)**

They keep on running. Like it is the last thing they will do. Everyone except from Tris thinks of it that way. Four and Caleb sprint past the dome, never looking back. But Tris does. Because there is a place for her on both sides. Whether it is with Eric or Four, she knows she can pick either. But it is not an easy choice.

She watches the tattoo sway around Four's neck as he heads for the forest. And all she can think about is how much of a traitor she is. Does he know? Does he know that she loves Eric? Can he tell? If he can, why doesn't he do anything about it? He can let her go. He can take Caleb somewhere safe, where she is sure it will be as long as he is there. She doesn't want to follow him, but at the same time, she can never leave him. She is incapable.

The new sensation of wind rushing past her ears causes her to run slower. She was used to having hair to cover most of her skin from these harsh breezes. But now everything is different. And she doesn't want to move on. She wants to go back.

"Keep moving!" Four yells as they pass the dome. Dauntless soldiers shoot up to their feet inside, aiming their guns at them. A tall figure jumps in front of them, yelling incoherently. And then he slumps to the ground. One of the soldiers knocked him out. Figures.

And then the glass around the dome shatters. They have opened fire.

Caleb ducks dramatically behind the pair of Dauntless, covering his head as if the thin tissue of his hands would protect his skull. The screaming of herded Amity gives him a slight kick and he speeds ahead of Tris.

Is Eric going to order the soldiers to stop shooting? He must do it. He knows Tris is amongst the "Amity" runaways. He has to protect her somehow.

But the further they run towards the forest, the further her heart sinks. Everyone is still shooting. And no new orders were given. And Eric probably won't stop the gunfire.

 _It's his job_ , Tris repeats in her head. _It is not his fault._

"Come on," Four shouts, "Keep moving!" Tris notices how he keeps glancing at her over his shoulder. He doesn't trust her. He thinks she will run away.

Her legs become heavier and her harsh panting burns her throat. It brings tears to her eyes. But she carries on.

There is that roar of the engines again. She dares to glance behind her. The trucks which broke the Amity fence have spluttered back to life, and two of them are already hot at their heels. They won't get them. They can't manoeuvre vehicles like that through a forest.

Tris looks ahead at the thickness of the green leaves above the trunks of a variety of trees. Her mind goes off on a tangent, desperate to concentrate on something other than war. And the fact that her boyfriend is trying to kill her. Well… pretending to try and kill her.

She focuses on the way some dead leaves fall to the ground, colouring the green grass yellow. Oh, and look. A hedgehog. He shuffles through the bushes, his tiny nose sniffing ripe plums that dropped only days ago. Oh, but wait. The Dauntless trucks are closing in on him. There is no way to notice that small creature from the metallic giants. He will get under the wheels. And his life will be over. Killed by a war he wasn't a part of.

Tris shakes her head in exasperation. She is going insane.

"I have to talk to him-"

"Move it!" Four yells, cutting her off. Sweat covers his forehead as he looks at her. There is a glare in his eyes.

"He won't hurt me, Tobias!"

"Beatrice, stop it!" Caleb almost cries. That shuts her up.

They enter the thick forest seconds later. And the trucks park at its entrance. As expected. Tris looks over her shoulder again, watching about a dozen Dauntless traitors jump off the vehicles and run after them. They are just as determined as the trio is. Of course, for different purposes. The Dauntless are trying to kill. The runaways are trying to survive.

She sees his face again. Eric.

He leads the pack of traitors. He has a gun in his hand. Holy shit, is he going to shoot her?

"Come on!" Four yells as Tris starts falling behind. Immediately, she catches up, her mind flickering back to concentrating on what's right.

The atmosphere thickens in the forest. The humid air brings sweat to Tris' skin as she whimpers through her rapid breathing.

"Listen!" Four yells.

She thinks that he is telling her to listen. To listen to his orders. She is about to yell at him when a loud horn sounds through the forest. It's a horn. It's a train horn.

"What?!"Caleb asks.

"Train!" Tris clarifies, looking ahead again. There is a massive field at the end of the forest. And they have nearly reached it. Just a little bit more and they will have to stop. Finally.

Small branches scrape her face, one of them scratching her eye. She hisses, looking down, watching as her feet run through blurred vision. Great. Another problem.

She puts a hand to her face, feeling tears stream out of her eye socket. She nearly drops her gun in the process. Four gives her a strange look that she does not notice. Then he places a hand on her back and pushes her on, running behind her.

"Go, go, go!" he yells once their heavy Amity boots slam against the moist glass on the field. It instantly becomes brighter. But Tris doesn't even notice. Her right eye is still shut.

The loud gunfire behind them makes her shriek. She wasn't expecting it. She forces her injured eye to open, not caring about the damage that action did to it. She sees bullets sending flying mud over their legs. She starts running faster, conscious that in a second… perhaps… she might lose her leg.

The bullets hit the ground near them, missing every time. They are only aiming for the legs. What's that all about?

She looks over her shoulder again, seeing how far they are from the forest now. Black figures hide behind the trees, only their armed hands visible. She thinks she sees Eric among them. But she can't be sure. She feels blind.

Suddenly, she realizes something. The bullets miss Caleb's and Tobias' legs. They always skim the air close to them. But never close to her. It's like they are not aiming at her. Their only targets are the two men on either side. They are not aiming at her.

The train appears out of nowhere ahead of them. Tris feels her heart thud against her ribcage as they get closer.

"Go! Keep moving!" Four yells as he stops running. Tris sees what his intentions are. He starts shooting at the trees, hitting his targets every time. She panics for a moment, contemplating on turning back to stop him. What if he kills Eric?

"Caleb!" she pushes him in front of her, both of them crossing the train tracks. It's a relief. A weight falls off her shoulders. It's like the railway split up the good and the bad. The victims and the killers. The safe haven and the dangerous grounds.

"Ammo!" Four yells, pushing his gun away. Tris watches as it reaches the grass with a thud.

She raises her gun reluctantly as Four runs towards her. The train starts getting closer, never slowing down. In fact, it might be getting faster. It certainly feels like it.

The gun feels heavy in her hands as she starts to aim for the targets. But who is the target, exactly? Eric? His friends? She knows that she will somehow cross his path again. She knows that she will see him again afterwards. She has to, right? And then what will happen? What would she say? _I'm sorry I killed your co-workers?_ Besides, she promised herself earlier: No more killing.

Slowly, she lowers her gun, receiving a dumbfounded look from Caleb. He lays down on the glass, trying to make himself smaller.

Four reaches her in seconds, dodging a blow from the front of the train just in time. He grabs her gun, tossing it onto the ground for her. He then grabs her shoulders and shakes her slightly. He shakes her until she looks at him.

"Are you insane?!"

Tris looks away, watching the train speed past. It is Caleb who makes the first move. He starts running after it. And Tris and Tobias follow. They run until one of them opens the door. And they pile in, panting and wheezing and groaning.

Then the shouting starts. Another lecture. Bingo.

 **Review and tell me what you thought :)**


	4. Bonus Chapter

**As you could already tell by the chapter title, this is more of a bonus chapter.**

 **I have received some comments about how Tris and Four' relationship is not clear in some way and you can't really tell where they are at. In addition, some of you questioned why Tris even bothers to follow Four as she is madly in love with Eric. So after considering this for a long time, I decided to wedge in a quick chapter to add some kind of equilibrium between them, so that you as well as me, can be aware of where this story will go and understand what is actually going on xD**

 **I didn't think that aspect of the story would matter so much, but obviously I can't move on if you guys are not happy with something.**

 **Anyway, enjoy this chapter. Hopefully, it will tie a knot between Four and Tris (no, not marriage) and their relationship can sail away somewhere while we concentrate on more Eris ;)**

She comes up behind him, wrapping her arms around his torso. He seems to relax slightly. But the muscles in his arms are still tense, like he is preparing to attack someone. She sees his veins bulging out of his biceps. Her forehead presses against his back. She sighs.

Tris, Four and Caleb have arrived at Factionless twenty minutes ago. And so much has happened in those twenty minutes.

First of all, she found out that his mother was alive. Caleb was just as shocked as Tris was. They both attended her funeral as kids, and seeing her there, with one too many bracelets, freshly washed hair and black fingernails really sent them into turmoil. It was a shock. But what was more shocking was that Tobias never told Tris about her.

Now, that is a debatable conversation. She has lied to him. She is certain about that. But for a while, she has been positive that he would never lie to her. Or keep secrets from her. He let her inside his head, for Christ sakes. Those were his deepest secrets. Telling her about his mom wouldn't have shocked her as much if he told her earlier.

Nevertheless, she cannot be mad at him. She does not have that right. The whole point of being in a relationship is to be able to always be honest and committed and intimate. Tobias and Tris were not following those golden rules. They have shared a kiss. He told her what his fears are. And that was it.

It irritates Tris that he thinks something would happen between them. How can it? How can it ever? How can he not notice all these little faults? Or maybe he does notice them. But he chooses to ignore them. For her sake. For his sake. Because he wants to be with her.

She almost forgot about what had happened on the train on their way here. They were attacked. By Factionless. Fists stopped flying only when Four uttered his sacred name. That was the turning point. That was when Tris knew for sure that he was not even a bit Candor. Just like her.

"I'm sorry for not telling you," he whispers. Tris loosens her grip and steps back, watching as he turns to face her.

She shrugs one shoulder, hoping that that small gesture will tell him everything. It doesn't. She needs to talk.

"I didn't tell you certain things either," she replies, watching him smile sadly.

There is a long pause before he speaks again. In that pause, he opens his mouth twice and then shuts it. Tris holds her breath.

"I shouldn't have kissed you," he says.

She knows what he means. And it does not hurt her. He means it in a good way. If he hadn't kissed her, she wouldn't have considered starting something with him. She could have forced all her energy towards Eric, instead of relentlessly wondering what life would be like with Four.

"I love you-"

"Why would you say that?" she cuts him off, breaking eye contact. There is another long pause.

"Maybe I was hoping you would say it back," he answers.

Tris looks around the room for a moment, frowning at the smell of solid metal. It penetrates her mouth, flavouring her saliva metallic. Nothing like Amity. In Amity everything smelled like wood. Here, the smells remind her of everything that is wrong with the city.

She thinks that she sees a glistening in Four's eyes, but it might have been her own.

"It's not fair on you, Four," she whispers, looking down at their shoes.

She hears his mouth open. A sigh rushes past his lips. She prays that he wouldn't say another word. That at least they would agree on one thing. At least they would find a common ground.

He doesn't say anything. After the longest pause, there is still silence. And she is thankful for it.

"I need to find him," she declares, glancing up at his face, "It's always been him."

"He's with Erudite. He would have to hand you over-"

"That doesn't concern you-"

"If they find out that you are Divergent-"

"Four, it doesn't concern you-"

"No, it does. I will not let you be that stupid," the sudden raise of his voice makes her growl slightly. Are they really going to do this again?

"He will keep me safe," she bites her lip, knowing that for a fact, "I don't know, maybe we will hide out somewhere. Maybe he can leave Erudite. Fake his death. That's a popular option, right?"

Four furrows his eyebrows in the dark. Then he shakes his head, "I hope you know what you're doing, Tris."

"I know," she answers, way too fast, "Trust me, I know."


	5. Attack On Candor

**I ain't even going to comment xD Enjoy this chapter :)**

She stands at the edge of the Candor skyscraper, running a hand across her jawline. Her fingers tremble as she traces her bony face. Back and forth, back and forth. Her hand gets tired of the movement after another relentless couple of strokes.

Her trial has been concluded on a very grim note. Now Christina knows what she did. Scratch that. Now the whole Candor population knows. She has murdered Will and participated in the deaths of her parents. Not intentionally. But she still blames herself.

Four. Four made the trial possible. She warned him. But he pushed and pushed until she had to agree. She would have rather been sent to Erudite. At least then, she would have seen Eric again. Maybe for the last time.

The last two days have been ruthless. How can so many things happen in only 48 hours? So many things she wants so hard to be forgotten.

Caleb has left her. As she expected. She wanted him to detach from the group from the start, but as he has made the choice, and not her, she feels his everlasting absence. And she misses him.

It appears that Evelyn is wanting an alliance with the rest of Dauntless. Her. Her army. And the Dauntless would be unstoppable. They could overtake Jeanine easily. The only problem is that Tobias does not agree with the fact that she and Evelyn decided to play happy families. But Tris doesn't care. She has decided that she would be setting off to Factionless in the morning. Along with the Dauntless volunteers. Where that leaves Tobias, she doesn't know.

Anyway, now that all of the people who once cared for her practically want to push her off this roof, it makes Tris want to jump off herself.

She looks down at the flickering lights at Candor's entrance. Some people are filing in. Some people are walking out. They would not appreciate her splattering onto the pavement next to them.

The thought makes her giggle. She is going insane.

"Where's your scary boyfriend?" a voice says behind her back. She turns sharply, her eyes softening when she sees that it's only Uriah.

He sees the widening of her eyes and his lopsided smile drops instantly.

"He's not my boyfriend," Tris answers, looking back at the ground miles below her. She thinks an awkward silence would follow. But Uriah would never let that happen.

She has been acquainted to him when they got to Candor. He is Zeke's brother. And one of Four's best friends.

"Mind if I join you?" he leans against the railing which is preventing the duo from plummeting to their deaths. He laces his fingers together. One of his legs bounces around as if it has a mind of its own. Tris eyes him suspiciously before smirking slightly. No way could she have hidden her smile even at the slightest interaction with him. Maybe he evicts that from people. Like a personal little ball of sun, "I love heights."

Tris turns to look at him again, her stare demanding elaboration. Maybe she doesn't have to speak.

"From up here, it all just seems so much smaller, you know?"

Should she answer? Was that a question? Tris realizes that she is in the middle of a little panic attack. But then he starts speaking. Saving her, again.

"I know it sounds crazy," he starts, "but sometimes I think I see lights out beyond the wall. I know they say it's all just wasteland out there but," he pauses, shaking his head, "We can't be the only ones left. Can we?"

She feels a smile on her face, and no matter how much she tries, she can't get it off. It might be from all the stress. Or from some kind of muscle spasm. Or maybe it's Uriah. Maybe he is the one making her smile. By simply talking. Not yelling. Or lecturing. Just talking.

Suddenly, the glass behind them shatters. In unison, they turn to watch. All of it shatters into tiny pieces. Soon, the whole roof is covered in glass. But the fragments are so small that it almost looks like snow.

There are a few yells from a nearby roof, but before Tris can turn to look, she notices a grip hook locked into position around a metal pole. Where the glass should have been instead. There are dozens of them. More and more shatter glass. More and more lock around the roof's metallic poles. Her eyes follow the long wires to the inhabited roof and she freezes at the sight.

Soldiers.

All of them flying through the air. Their target is where Tris is standing. Her mouth hangs open in wonder, her mind going insane. But when Uriah nudges her to the side, she realizes that they are not in fact flying. That would be ridiculous. Flying soldiers. How would anybody survive then?

"Let's go!" he shouts, starting to run towards the doorway on the roof.

"Closest weapons?"

"Ground floor!"

Shit.

Tris runs by his side, starting to feel a familiar burn in her legs. She was hoping she wouldn't have to do this again. Always on the run. Always afraid.

In the dark, she sees armed silhouettes running down another building, jumping onto the Candor roof like there is no gravity. When they unlatch their hooks, they start looking human again. Just an average soldier. With a gun. And Erudite insignia on his forearm.

Uriah launches himself at the closest intruder, disarming him and knocking him out with the weapon. Tris stands still, looking up as even more soldiers slide down buildings. She wants to help. She wants to knock them out before they even reach the floor she is standing on. But even if she had a gun, she would not be able to shoot. She could not bring herself to shoot ever again.

She gasps when one of the men spots her and raises his gun. Her initial thought is to help Uriah. But she turns around and starts running towards the fire exit. Bullets slice through the air behind her, threatening to penetrate her skin. She never feels the slightest sting.

Once she has rounded the corner, she stops, taking a deep breath. _It will be fine. Just don't leave Uriah._

She peeks around the cement on the wall, watching him fire again and again at the approaching soldiers. They start falling down like dominos. One after the other. Tris furrows her eyebrows, finding that her hands are starting to shake with adrenaline.

But everything slows down at once when Uriah's body hits the floor.

She gasps again, pressing her back against the wall, hoping that somehow nobody spotted her. She thinks for a moment. She tries to think. She searches her brain for the most logical explanation as to why the people around her are dying.

Her head starts spinning as she runs towards the door with the red light flashing above it. Her legs are so heavy. They drag behind her as she runs. They want her to turn around. They want her to surrender herself. Her heart stops momentarily when gunfire starts again. This time, it is meant for her.

Miraculously, she reaches the door, barging through it like a mad woman. It slams behind her, the automatic lock sealing it shut again. It will not last for very long. They are going to break it down somehow.

The cold stairs are her next challenge. All she has to do is run down them without tripping and breaking her neck. But with her overdose of adrenaline making her head spin, it seems impossible. She almost doesn't notice the flashing alarm lights, colouring the walls red. Red. It looks like blood.

Her heart skips a beat when a group of shrieking women run at her, pushing her back to where she came from.

"No!" she manages weakly, forcing her way through the tangled limbs, "Go back!"

The gunshots send her a mile up the air. She yells when an electric current sparks below her shoulder. All the energy seems to be coming from the little sting. All the energy engulfs her body in nothingness. She shuts her eyes, perplexed by the feeling. It feels like she is going to sleep. But she is wide awake. She doesn't get it.

Her head hits a soft cushion, ricochets against it and lands onto a hard stair. Her vision goes black.

But then it returns. It returns so fast that all of the previous events feel like a dream to her. What the hell happened? Was she shot? Why is she still alive?

Her body feels heavy as she tries to stand. A stabbing pain sears through her. Automatically, her hand flies to her back. As it does, the corners of the stairs rub against her side. She hisses in pain, getting up quickly. It still feels sore once she is up. Everything feel sore. The impact of her fall will certainly leave bruises.

But that pain below her shoulder is a mystery. She groans as she twists her neck to see better. It cracks loudly, but she ignores it. The grey ball plastered to her skin makes her feel sick. She thought it was a mole at first. But she never had a mole there. This is new.

 _They have merged my body with metal._

An unconscious woman sprawled across the stairs catches her attention. But she isn't the only one. There are lots of women here. All of them are unconscious. All of them look dead. But Tris is awake. If these balls made everyone go to sleep, why is she awake?

Knowing the answer already, she sighs.

Her hand reaches out to touch the metallic thing on the woman's foot. It feels exactly like Tris' does. It looks the same too.

She turns her head and sees another one of those. On another woman's body. On her neck.

That's when she hears it. The eerie and rare and calming and unnerving. The silence.

"Mommy?" a young voice cries at the top of the staircase. She narrows her eyes. _It didn't last long, did it?_

She turns, seeing a little girl, picking at her own bullet. She is teary eyed. She doesn't look like she ever reached adolescence. She is so small.

"Mommy?!"

"Shh," Tris jumps slightly, hurrying to the little girl's side. Her eyes widen in fear, but then relax. And then they widen again.

"They hurt my mommy?"

Tris sees the red marks circling the metal ball on the girl's skin. She frowns slightly, but then forces herself to smile. She can't do this to a child. She has to stay positive.

"Look, I got one too," she hushes, turning slightly so that the girl can see. When she does, her lip falls back into her mouth and she bites on it, "See? It's okay. It's just the thing that made everybody go to sleep-"

"I want my mommy," the girl whimpers.

"I need you to do me a favour," Tris cuts her off, her eyes darting to the nearest staircase, "I need you to go to the top of those stairs up there," the girl turns to look, "Don't come down until your mommy comes to get you."

"Don't come down?"

"Don't come down," Tris repeats, the corner of her lips twitching up, "Can you do that?"

The girl nods, sniffing. Tris exhales in relief. Thank God.

"Be brave, okay?" she searches the girl's eyes for fear and she finds plenty. She finds a lot actually. It's no surprise, "Go."

The girl disappears quickly, her white dress flowing in the breeze which whooshes out of the open fire exit that was left open.

SHSHSHSHSHSH

Tris reaches the ground floor five minutes later. Every step that she took made her cringe. They were too loud. They made her afraid that somebody would hear her. And if they did, she would be dead. She is what they are after, right? She is Divergent.

She turns around in the secluded hallway, making sure that nobody followed her. The red lights are still flashing. They cast a disturbing appearance on the white and black clothes on the floor. In those clothes are people. Unconscious people. Non-Divergent people.

The big guns gleam at her from inside the black gates. She sees them through the little squares. She slams her hands on them once she is close enough. But the gates do not budge. What was she thinking? Why is she even here? To hold a gun without shooting?

Still, her instinct pushes her forward. It darts around her body until she can hear her heartbeat. Here is a lock on these gates. She does not have the key.

Running footsteps startle her and she spins around, pressing her back against the nearest solid object she finds. It's only Uriah. His eyes scan her over. Checking for injuries? That is the only valid explanation.

He was not killed. He was put to sleep. Just like her.

"Hey," she pants, mentally kicking herself at the casual greeting she was dumb enough to muster.

"Why are we the only ones awake?"

"Because we're Divergents," she answers, raising an eyebrow. His face overflows with shock. As if he only just found out. What if he has? She bites her lip to hold onto her laughter.

What is the matter with her?

"Come on," she coughs out, "I need your help. We have to open this."

She turns back to the gates, slamming her hands against them, listening to the clanging sound. He doesn't come. He stands in the doorway, paralyzed.

"Uriah, I need your help!" she yells. This time he listens. But instead of uselessly slamming his hands against the door like she is doing, he picks up the nearest fire hydrant, banging it against the lock.

The plan seems good. But all plans have their limitations. This plan has a limitation of being too fucking loud. Tris jolts every time he hits the lock. She tries to pull the gates towards her, checking if they have become any looser. They have.

"Hey!" a deep voice yells behind them. They turn around simultaneously. And when Tris sees him, she nearly cries with relief. A small smile slides across her face as Eric points the gun at her. He is smiling too. But his eyes are hard. He is warning her. He is telling her something.

"Look who decided to show up," Max slurs, raising his gun as well. Behind them are three more soldiers. Their faces are blank. They have no idea what they missed out on when the attack on Abnegation happened.

But Eric and Max did not miss out on anything. They were there when Tris and Four were held at gunpoint. That was the day they really knew. They knew it all.

Eric moves closer to her, lowering his gun at once. His smile disappears when Tris feels his breath on her forehead. Now only she can see his face. She watches him. He looks confused. _What are you doing here?_ He would ask. _Why did you have to be here?_

"Won't be hard for you to shoot her this time," Max chuckles, boiling Tris' blood. Eric mocks a laugh, sounding completely allegiant to Max.

What he says is: "It's really good to see you again."

What he means is: "Please, play along."

 **Review and tell me what you think ;) That is if you are not speechless. Which you should be.**

 **Joking, joking xD**


	6. The Devil Inside

Uriah walks by her side as they get pushed through series of corridors. Guns point at their hips, causing the pair to be lenient.

Tris can't help but notice how a warm hand circles around her lower back as they walk. She relaxes, knowing that nothing would happen to her. His body radiates ridiculous amounts of heat, warming up her bare arms which were covered in goose bumps only minutes ago.

She steps over sleeping Candor when she needs to. Limbs sprawl out along the polished wooden floor. They almost look dead. But the way their chests rise and fall signify how alive they actually are.

Tris rubs her wrists together, wincing when the plastic around them digs into her skin. He did it too tight. He didn't even notice.

"This way," Max says, leading them into a bigger room. There seem to be nobody there. Nobody hovering around and nobody sleeping on the floor. But there is a circle of people in the middle of the room. Not many people. They are all crouching. One of them is the girl.

Tris tastes bile as she looks out of the window. It covers one of four walls. The size of it reminds her of Erudite. Too open.

There is a hint of orange on the horizon, behind all the buildings. It's almost morning.

"Get down," Eric whispers when Uriah gets pushed to his knees, joining the circle. Tris crouches down slowly, Eric's hand on her shoulder. The man behind her weeps silently, enraging Max. He taps his gun against his thigh, glaring at the ceiling.

The little girl is silent though. Her feet are still bare. Her head droops forward, trying to make her as small as possible.

"All right, folks," Eric starts cheerfully, "Nothin' to be nervous about. Just a little routine inspection. Then we can all go back to our business."

Her eyes follow his body. He walks around the circle, picking up a device she is familiar with. She saw those in Amity. They were testing faction members to see if any of them were Divergent. _But they already know we are Divergent._

"Hello," he stands in front of the weeping man, visibly frowning. She has to twist her neck uncomfortably to see him. But she ignores the ache along her bones and watches. He lifts the device up to the man's face. Immediately, it lights up. Some lines run through the screen. And then the monitor beeps.

"Divergent: ten percent," the electronic female voice says. And then the monitor turns off.

Eric frowns slightly, not managing to glance in Tris' direction. Instead, his eyebrows raise and he mocks a pout, slipping his gun out of his pocket. Without warning, he shoots the man in the head, allowing his body to collapse on the floor. Tris gasps, whipping around again. She widens her eyes, finding herself unable to breathe.

"That's boring," Eric murmurs, his footsteps echoing along the walls.

"That is not part of the mission," Max raises his brows, folding his arms in front of him.

"So what?" Eric scoffs, walking past her. She squeezes her eyes shut, feeling the breeze of his passing. It wasn't a part of the mission. But it's just how things are. This is Eric. _This is who I am in love with,_ "As far as I'm concerned, the rest of them are still outlaws."

"Let's just wrap this up quickly," Max says, "The others are gonna be awake soon."

Tris calms her heartbeat, getting used to the sound of silence. She would jolt if she heard another gunshot. The aftereffects of the previous one have left ringing in her ears. How many deaths would Jeanine be satisfied with? How many families wiped off the Earth because of her childish experiment?

"Hello, sweetie," Eric coos on her left. She turns to look. Her breath hitches when she sees him leaning forward, examining the little girl's face. She sniffs quietly, lifting her head.

"I shouldn't-"

Eric cuts her off by scanning her chubby face. It beeps once before the electronic voice comes on again, "Divergent: forty percent."

He pouts again, faking a smile, "I'm afraid it's not you either."

He wouldn't.

She watches as he straightens up, towering over the innocent, "The lady said I shouldn'ta…" she takes a swallow of air, taking her time, "The lady said I shouldn'ta come downstairs."

Eric narrows his eyes, looking into her soul. He treats her like an adult. He doesn't even consider taking it easy with her. Tris can see it in his eyes. It is one of the great things about him. But it is also one of the worst.

"Guess you should have listened," he nods, taking his gun out.

It takes only a second for Tris to rise up to her feet. She doesn't hesitate. But once she is up and fuelled on adrenaline and the centre of attention, her lungs deflate. Now what? She is going to launch at him? That would be a very mixed signal on her part. Unless he wants her to launch at him. Unless he did this on purpose. Maybe that's what playing along meant.

A rush of air escapes her mouth when they collide. Obviously, she can't grab him. She's restrained. Her body falls to the ground, overwhelmed with pain. His jacket is rock hard and she is only wearing a top. Why didn't she think about it before flying over to him? Bruises will definitely show up tomorrow.

Eric glares, getting on top of her without further consideration. For a moment she thinks that he will hit her. But his hands find her neck instead, squeezing the air out of her. She arches her back, trying to breathe. Trying to gasp. Nothing works.

They lock eyes. Hers are in a frenzy, darting around her peripheral vision. His are cold. Just cold. He glares down at her as he loosens his grip. Not all at once, but gradually. So that she doesn't make a show of breathing right now. He is supposed to be strangling her.

"Enough," Max says, coming closer to the pair, "We still have to test her."

Eric releases her throat immediately, getting up to his feet. Tris fakes a gasp, watching him walk away, scratching the back of his head. He kicks something in front of him. It looks to be a chair.

"Jeanine told us that we have to test everyone," Max speaks, more to himself than anybody in the room.

Tris feels her heart pick up speed again. Max is closer to her than anybody in the room. It makes her nervous. Why did Eric walk so far away? She wishes he would be standing beside her. Even if it means he has to fake a punch.

Max lifts his screen up, and Tris watches as it flickers to life. She sees all faction symbols. Abnegation, Amity, Dauntless, Candor and Erudite. Only three of them stay on as the others disappear. Abnegation, Dauntless and Erudite. Those are the results she got for her Aptitude test. Before she joined Dauntless.

Then the robotic voice fills the room: "Divergent: one hundred percent."

Tris furrows her eyebrows, watching Max's face through the screen, "I'll be damned."

"What?" Eric appears behind him, narrowing his eyes. Immediately, she feels safe.

"She's what we've been looking for," Max says. Eric furrows his eyebrows, fear developing in his eyes. For a second, he hesitates. And then he grabs the device off of Max.

"Bullshit," he roars, pointing it at her face again. But he doesn't watch the screen. He watches her.

"Divergent: one hundred percent," the voice repeats.

Eric widens his eyes, looking away when the device turns off. Everybody is silent because everybody is expecting Eric to start talking. But how can he? His job is to hunt Divergents. And now he has to escort his girlfriend to her death.

"Get her in a vehicle," Max orders, taking charge, "I'll alert Jeanine."

Tris sighs deeply when he walks away. She lets her eyes close for a moment. One hundred percent? What does that mean? What makes her so special?

She feels Eric lean in front of her. He takes her hands, pulling her up to her feet. Tris wobbles slightly, adjusting her position. There is no point being brave. Because she's not. She lets herself lean against Eric, but he holds her at an arm's length, eyeing the soldiers who are still in the room. His hot breathing rushes past her forearms. She hears him panting. And then he starts whispering so that only she can hear. Anybody else would think that he is out of breath.

"Fuck, I didn't know," his eyes dart around the room, narrowing at Max's fading figure, "I'll think of something."

"It's okay," Tris whispers back. But before she can say anything else, he nudges her forward, holding her arm tightly. Together they walk out of the room, forgetting of the events that occurred inside it. Some guards follow them, their guns at the ready.

She looks at Eric, waiting for a signal, or even some sort of command. But he doesn't say anything. He doesn't even look at her. He looks at the ground, thinking hard.

A figure moves in the distance. Tris narrows her eyes, unsure whether it was her imagination or not. But then somebody tackles Eric. And the soldiers behind her groan in agony, falling to the floor.

Dauntless surround them. Not the Dauntless traitors. But the good Dauntless. Her friends.

She widens her eyes when she sees the person who knocked Eric to the ground. The person who promised her safety and security and gave it to her.

Four.

 **Gah, I feel like the ending could have been tied up a bit more xD Nevermind. I was half asleep when I wrote this. College life is wearing me out.**

 **Review and tell me what you thought :)**


	7. Fighting For Survival

**Fair warning, the letter 'T' on my keyboard has broke, so there may be a few mistakes in there. I checked what I could, but again, I was half-asleep writing this and it may not be perfect xD**

 **Enjoy :)**

Four waits until Candor's army surrounds the rebels. When they do, he lowers his gun and turns to Tris. She watches him with wide eyes, not knowing how to react. If these soldiers were bad people, she would throw herself into his arms. But they're not bad people. He saved her from the false enemy.

"Let me see your hands!" one of Four's lackeys yells. The soldier on the ground is at his mercy. He raises his shaky hands, looking down.

Tris watches Eric sit up slowly, recovering from the punch Four sent at his face. He is in the middle of all this. A couple of rebels had to be pressed against a pillar because they refused to back down. Their faces compress between the pillar and Dauntless' palms, inevitably being squeezed away from freedom.

She chews on her lip when Four comes up to her, getting out his pocket knife. His eyebrows are furrowed. He keeps his eyes on her wrists, busy with the job at hand. She knows that he is still affected by their previous arguments. He was rejected. She chose Eric over him. The most adult thing to do would be to get over it. And she doesn't know if he has. She cannot tell.

He cuts the plastic off of her wrists, letting it fall to the floor. Before he can pull his hands away and turn back around, Tris grabs his sleeve, "Hey… thank you," she whispers, waiting for him to respond. He does it with a smile.

She needs him to know that he is doing the right thing. He is protecting her. In his world, there is good and bad. There is black and white. But in her world, those things are blurred together. Eric is not black. He is grey. And Four would never understand that.

Nevertheless, she needs to try and communicate with him using his language. He is doing the right thing. He is.

There is an ostentatious cough behind him. His smile fades away when he realizes who it's from. Tris looks over Four's shoulder to see Eric tensing his jaw. He doesn't look at her. His eyes are on Four's back.

"It's lucky you got that gun, Four," he feigns a laugh, tilting his chin upwards. Tobias sighs. Irritation is vivid in his eyes, "We both know you were never much without one."

Tris stretches out her arm, idly stroking the part of the gun sticking out of Four's pocket. To her dismay, his fingers follow hers. They brush before twisting together. He gives her a little squeeze and then takes out his gun, tossing it to the nearest Dauntless. He turns to face Eric, whose face visibly slackened. They share a long stare. It lasts forever. In that moment Tris starts sweating slightly, conscious of how her shirt is riding up at the back. She fixes it quickly.

Her breath hitches when Four steps closer to his worst enemy. Eric clenches his fists, still not daring to look at Tris. Soon enough, it feels like two lions are circling each other, preparing to fight for their territory. It's ridiculous. Who would even win?

Eric makes the first move. All of his rage balls up into his fists and then he swings, just missing his target. All that rage disabled his secret targeting system. At least, that's what Tris thinks would happen if he was a robot.

Unfortunately for Eric, Four does not hold back. He grunts as he slams him against the pillar and twists his arm backwards. There is a crunch. And Tris takes a step forward when an agonizing groan fills the room.

"Four, stop," she says quietly. Not loud enough for anybody to hear. Her heart has hammered away in her chest for weeks. Non-stop. Hammering 24/7. She has become immune to feeling it against her ribcage. But if she wasn't, she imagines it would be bruising her bones right now, "Four."

She watches him push Eric back into the hall where the death of the man and the near-death of the girl took place. The atmosphere in there is the same as it was five minutes ago. Except, this time the orange on the sky is brighter. Which gives the room a less eerie appearance.

She opens her mouth to say something, but it closes. She could try to defend Eric. And plead for his release. They wouldn't listen to her. Not unless there is enough evidence of his innocence. And obviously there isn't.

Her legs carry her over to his side, but she gets nudged out of the way by a guard. She stands in front of Four, afraid of what he would do. His eyes are calm when they land on hers. But it only lasts for a second. They flicker back to Eric. And then he glares. Another guard hands him back his gun.

"You think she's safe now?" Eric utters, snarling as a member of Candor ties his wrists behind his back. He falls to his knees in the process, nursing his twisted arm behind him. The corner of his mouth turns downwards.

Tris furrows her eyebrows, wanting him to explain what it actually is that Jeanine wants. But also hoping he would bite his tongue, because she wants to be the first to hear. Alone with him. As selfish as it sounds.

"Jeanine is never gonna stop searching for you," Eric speaks directly to her for what feels like the first time today. She freezes in her spot, goose bumps covering his skin. Why would he say that? What does he mean?

"Why?" Tobias asks, "What does she want with her?" Tris watches as he comes up to him, dangerously close. She is thankful that he asked the question. She never could. There is a lump in her throat, "Tell me."

"All I know is that she is exactly what Jeanine needs," Eric answers, straining his neck to look up at Four's face, "She's the perfect subject."

She meets Four's glance. He is asking her something. He is asking if she knows anything. Which obviously, she doesn't. She is just as perplexed as he. If not more.

She doesn't care. Right now she doesn't care about Jeanine. She wants to know why Tobias tightened his grip on his gun. And why his finger is playing with the trigger.

He makes it click. And a small smile plays on Eric's lips.

"Was that supposed to scare me?"

Four swallows hard, "You're responsible for the death of hundreds of people… You know the punishment for that."

She knows where this is going. Killing him would make him a very happy person. Mainly because she would no longer have him as her first choice. But she will. He will always be her first choice. Even if he's dead. She would never turn to look at Tobias again. Anger starts rising from deep within her.

"Four," she comes closer, placing her hand on his chest. He doesn't even break his eyes away from Eric.

"Listen," Eric sighs, "I've found a way to live with the blood on my hands. But can you?"

She knows Four too well. He would never answer that. He would either change the conversation or terminate the speaker. And it does not look good for Eric.

She gives him a second to think, never tearing her eyes away. There isn't much to gamble. He raises his gun. And she loses it.

"That's enough!" she shoves his chest, feeling the air come out of him like a popped balloon. He narrows his eyes, panting with what seems like disbelief. If disbelief could even make a person tired and out of breath.

"Let him be, Tris," Eric murmurs from behind. She ignores his remark, trying to grab the gun off Tobias.

"Think about what you're doing," she whispers, rage sizzling in her voice. Four stares at her, unsure whether she is joking or not. He knows how she feels about Eric. Why would he be surprised if she tried to save his life? This is what she doesn't get. And it makes her even angrier.

From the corner of her eye, she sees a herd of white figures rising from the ground. They looks like ghosts for a second. They look un-real. But then she turns her head and sees that they are real. They are Candors, waking up from the drug, walking up to the hall, whispering gossip to each other, eyeing Tris and Four and then Eric. It is all coming together in their heads. But they would never understand even half of what is true.

"He is a murderer-"

"And you're not?" Tris spits back, blocking his view of Eric, "Killing him would not have made you any better. And it definitely wouldn't have won me over-"

"This is not about winning you over," Four starts, "This is about justice! The man's a serial killer and you are defending him!"

By now, the hall is filled with fifty Candors. And some Dauntless. Mostly Candors. She sees Christina's face in the crowd. And Tori's. And Jack Kang. He walks closer to the scene, staring at Tobias.

"I had no idea Jeanine was capable of something like this," the leader of Candor says, stepping closer to him. He glances at Eric and the rest of the rebels who are being maintained at the other side of the hall. His eyes land on Tris, who has never looked more pleading in her life.

"I demand a trial," her voice is shaky. Tobias shakes his head, turning to Jack Kang.

"There would be no need for that," he says, "Manslaughter has one punishment and that is death. He wouldn't be free of charges."

"Four," she comes up to him, her eyes welling up with tears, "Four, please-"

"I'm confused. Do you know this man?" Kang nods towards Eric, who is looking way too comfortable on the tiled floor. He tries to stand up but he is restrained tightly, and every time he tries, he ends up in the same position. On his knees.

"I do," she answers, blinking away all the moisture, "There has to be a trial. He can't be executed like this. None of them can be-"

"Tris, listen to what you are saying," Four starts, taking her shoulders in his hands.

"I am listening!" she waves her arms around in frustration, shaking off his hands in the process, "I want a trial. I want the court to decide whether they should be killed or locked away. Not him," she shakes her head at Four. He has tucked his gun away awkwardly. And now his hands swing around meaninglessly, looking for something to grab.

"The Candor courts are the best deciders. I accept," Jack Kang looks at Tris and hen back to Four. Then he lowers his eyes, sighing, "But it would be a waste of time. You were right. Manslaughter… multiple manslaughter only has one punishment in this city-"

"Hear his story!" Tris shouts desperately, nodding towards Eric, "Please, you might change your mind."

The whispers in the hall have fades away. Tobias didn't answer back. He is speechless. Even Eric's breathing is unheard of. But Kang breaks the silence with a loud sigh. And then he nods to one of his guards.

"Take them all to the cells," he says, "The trial will be held in six hours."

 **Review and tell me what you thought :)**


	8. King Kong

**Don't be put off by the name of this chapter. It has deeper meaning, I promise xD**

Four and a Candor guard lead her to the cells, the echoing of their boots being the only sound.

Tris watches his tattoo sway around his skin as his shoulders raise and fall with every step he takes. He has decided to give Eric a chance. Well, Jack Kang decided to give Eric a chance. Four was forced into it. He had no say. Nevertheless, he is keeping quiet now. Not complaining. Not talking her out of anything. For a moment, she thinks that he understands and her heart jumps up. But no, that can't be it.

He wants him dead. He wanted to kill him there and then. Tris sighs and glances away when he turns his head to look at her.

They walk silently through the corridors on the second floor. There is a sign that the prison sector is not far away. Instead of doors, there are bars. Instead of glass windows- bars. Instead of bright Candor lights and white walls, there are flickering bulbs and mossy bricks. They don't take care of their prison. Or maybe they _intend_ on keeping it so uncomfortable. For the prisoner's sake. Because why should the outlaws ever feel snug?

The guard opens a metallic door with a clang and that is when the cold seeps in. The chilly morning wind rushes past Tris' bare arms as she follows. But the heat she is feeling inside is the only thing preventing her from getting goose bumps. She is here to see Eric. At her request.

Four slows down, letting her walk in front. She eyes him suspiciously, but then realizes why he did it. The guard opens the squeaky gates to the cell, greeting the night guard with a gun. Then they look at her expectantly. And she smiles.

"Tris," his voice warms her up. She jogs into the square box and allows his arms to envelope her, hugging so hard that it cuts off her air supply.

The guard behind her closes the door, locking them in. Tris doesn't flinch. This isn't a criminal. He is not a serial killer or a bad person. He is Eric.

She feels his smirk kissing up the side of her face. And she giggles. Not even caring that three grown men are watching them from outside the cell.

He has been bared of his traitor jacket. What he had on underneath was a black vest. His strong arms graze against her own. And the skin on skin feeling warms her up even more. Now she is boiling. She feels sweat starting to form between her cleavage under her top. She ignores it.

Her head turns and her eyes fall on the geometric tattoos on his arms. Her left hand runs up the ink, aiming for his broad shoulder, while her other hand mirrors it. It's all okay now. They will be okay. They will be fine.

Eric pulls away to look down at her face. When their eyes meet, they both smile. And his smile is the one to drop first, "What did you do to your hair?"

Tris bites her lip, shaking her head. This feels normal. In a warzone all you need is a little taste of normality. And this is it. She feels like she is back in his apartment at Dauntless. His question is so fucking normal that it brings tears to her eyes. He frowns.

"You don't like it?"

"No, no I like it," his palm finds her cheek, "I like it a lot."

She wants to tell him that he didn't upset her. That those still tears have a different journey behind them. That they have generated from something else. Not his remark.

They both smile again and then their lips meet. She doesn't have time to adjust before his tongue darts into her mouth. And it is exactly as she remembered it. He tastes the same. He didn't change at all.

Their lips clash together repeatedly, the sounds of kissing filling the eerie cell. One of his hands tangles in her short hair, pulling so hard that her mouth detaches from his. And then she feels his lips on her neck. Sucking and nibbling. It is too much to take. She releases a laugh.

An awkward cough makes her jump. Eric feels it and pulls away. Tris sees the guards leaning against a wall, exchanging eyebrow wiggles, while Four stares hard at the ceiling, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. She sighs, intertwining her fingers with Eric's. They will never be alone now. He is under constant watch. He is a prisoner, after all.

One of the guards feels the silence and unlocks the cell door, lifting his gun. He has chipped hair. And his voice is nasal when he talks, "Alright, visiting hours are over. Get out."

Tris feels Eric's anger by the way his fingers press down into her arms. She smiles slightly, pecking his lips, "I'll visit you after the trial. We have plenty of time."

Eric presses his nose against hers, breathing her in, "Get some sleep," the corner of his mouth twitches, "I can't help but feel like it's my fault for keeping you awake tonight."

"I'm not tired," she answers quickly, hearing the loud tapping behind her. The guard's foot. He is impatient.

"You have to sleep," Eric says, "Otherwise the next time we kiss, you will collapse onto the floor."

Tris smiles, going in for another kiss. He accepts it gratefully, his arms tightening around her once more.

In that time, Four has walked away. Tris heard him. She is certain she did. He said something along the lines of "I'll be downstairs if you need me," or "I'll be with Tori if you need me." She can't be sure. Her heart was too loud in her ears.

"Was I not clear?" the guard's gun clicks. It makes Tris pull away. Eric keeps his glare fresh and snarls slightly when the other guard releases a chuckle.

"I don't think you were, Bert," he doesn't know how to handle a gun. It nearly slips as he twirls it around his fingers.

Tris rolls her eyes, smiling again when Eric finds her lips, "I love you," he whispers huskily. She is too overwhelmed to say it back. In her mind she does. She thinks she does. Her smile is too big for her face.

"Ernie, you know where it's at," Bert says, "You just know it."

Tris plants a lingering kiss on his bottom lip, thankful that he kisses back. Clearly, they don't plan to pull away anytime soon. At least, not under their own power. They turn their kisses into a full blown make out session while the guards behind them laugh at a joke they made. Something about gorillas. She feels Eric's growl on her lips and looks up at him.

"Don't," she whispers, "They're idiots."

"I know," he answers, glancing at his feet. Tris steps back, mouthing the three words she is not brave enough to repeat. He smiles warmly at her, squeezing one of her hands. Reluctant to let go.

The two guards laugh loudly before the one with the nasal voice speaks, "Yeah, step away from King Kong-"

The air pressure in the cell changes. His big hand grips her wrist. And he launches himself at the guards, but Tris is quick enough to slam her hand against his chest, "Eric!"

She feels his heart pounding away against his bones. His breathing becomes heavy. She even hears a grunt. Eric's nostrils flare as the guards fall silent behind her. They are obviously scared.

They are stupid. They were stupid to ever make fun of Eric. Who hired these idiots?

"It's okay," she whispers, so that only he can hear, "I'll be back soon."

His breathing slows. He lowers his eyes and looks at her, realisation creeping onto his face. Then he nods, "I'll be here."

 ***smirks as she waits for the Bert and Ernie comments to flood in***


	9. Caged

There has been a change of plans.

Tris glares as she walks, repeating Jack Kang's words over and over in her head. _There has been a change of plans._

It seems that absolutely nothing can go smoothly for her in this world. For her and Eric. Especially Eric.

The trial has been cancelled. His trial will no longer take place. He can't plead innocent through truth serum. He can't plead anything at all. His presence is not required.

She turns the corner sharply, stumbling over her own feet. She nearly lands on her face, but somebody is there to catch her. She knows who it is by how his hands fit around her waist. And squeeze. It's Four.

"Where are you going?" he asks nonchalantly, ignoring the way she squirms out of his grip.

"Don't pretend everything is alright," she warns, turning to walk away. His sigh is loud in the air. It haunts her as she reaches the prison part of the building.

There is no doubt in her head that Four had something to do with the way Eric's trial was so suddenly cancelled. He must've spoken with the jury. Said that there is no point interrogating a serial killer. Of course they would believe him. It's just stupid how instead of the trial, there has to be a hearing. People will attend. The ones who are for him living and the ones who are against.

Eric won't get a lot of lawyers there. So she has to make sure she doesn't miss it. Because it can literally save his life.

She will attend the hearing and speak on his behalf and tell them the truth. They have to listen this time.

"Woah, woah, woah," Ernie waves his arms around like a lunatic when she appears in front of him. His eyebrows knit together as he squeezes his gun closer to his chest. A moment passes as he looks her up and down. Then he speaks, a toothpick bobbing up and down in his mouth as he does, "Where are you going, lady?"

"I'm here to see Eric," Tris replies, looking past him at the metallic door. So close.

"It's not visiting hours yet,"

"I really don't care-"

"Ahh, Beatrice Prior!" Bert walks around the corner, holding his arms out, "Associating with gorillas again?"

She sighs in frustration, a hand going up to her face. Next time, she should file in a complaint. There is absolutely no time to be begging these clowns for entrance. Nor is there time to joke. Which Tris figured earlier they like to do a lot of.

"Just let me in-"

"No can do, lady," Ernie leans against the door. He drops his gun and it bounces slightly as the leather strap around his neck prevents it from hitting the floor. Tris feels a surge of irritation. Then anger. Then sadness.

"I said let me in-"

"He said that no can do," Bert interrupts, stepping closer to her, "Or do you not understand the meaning of 'no'?"

"I don't think she does-"

"Goddammit!" Tris pushes forward, grabbing a fistful of Ernie's shirt material. Panic is imminent in his eyes. He tries to get a hold of his gun with his shaky hands, but to his dismay, Tris elbows it away. It swings on its strap all the way around his body.

That's when Bert steps in. His big arm shoves into her stomach, acting as a kind of barrier between her and his best friend.

There is a loud yell coming from one of their mouths. She can't tell who it is. Her hearing is muffled by her rage.

"Get off me, lady!" Ernie shouts, "I can't do nothing!"

"Let her in," a deep voice murmurs behind them. They all turn to look in unison. Tris' grip becomes weaker as she stares at him. His brown eyes are sad, like a dog's eyes would be. She doesn't let that put her off. She straightens her back and gives Four a small nod before turning her head.

When she does, the metallic door is unlocked. And the cold air hits her soft skin painfully. She walks down the corridor, Ernie and Bert's huffs accompanying her from behind. All the cells are empty except from one. His fingers are the first thing she sees. The black bars start drifting apart from each other as she walks closer to his cell. Eric's hands tighten around the metal when he sees her.

"Hey," she whispers quietly, snaking her fingers over his. He flinches slightly, not registering her arrival. But when it hits him, his hands wrap around hers and their fingers intertwine.

She looks up, watching a small smile slither across his lips. He looks calmer than he did before. If anything he looks different. And it has only been six hours. The solitary confinement has changed him. And it startles her.

 **Sorry for the short chapter. Life is in the way at the moment.**

 **Please review :)**


	10. Mistreated

**Don't kill me when I say this, but we are almost at the end. Well, not the end. But close to the end. I think there will be at least three more chapters.**

 **Keeping it short and snappy. It is all leading up to something.**

 **Enjoy :)**

Eric runs his hand over her knee, pressing her legs closer to his body. She smiles sadly, resting her head on his shoulder.

The court hearing has been concluded twenty minutes ago. And to nobody's surprise, it went horribly wrong. Execution is in order. There is no escape.

He has murdered too many people. Ruined too many families. His downfall was destined to happen. Tris didn't believe it. She still doesn't.

Small droplets of rain spit onto her bare arms from outside. This cell is barbaric. Even its window consists of metallic bars. It doesn't protect the people inside from the wind and rain and in the winter season: snow.

Eric sees goose bumps on Tris' arms and inevitably rubs them away. She wonders how it is possible for somebody to be so warm in these conditions. His eyes run over her face, desperate for her to say something. Anything.

They intertwine their fingers together, the mattress getting colder beneath them. Tris presses her body against his, one of her arms going around his torso.

They said that the execution will take place in two days. They have two days together.

"I'm not gonna let them do it," Tris whispers, making sure that the guards on the other side of the metal bars cannot hear a word.

"I know," Eric answers plainly, like he is only saying that for her benefit. Like deep down, he does not believe her.

"I'm serious," their eyes lock, "I'm getting you out of here."

"How?"

"I'll think of something," Tris murmurs, looking down at how his strong hand circles her knee.

She was fighting for his freedom in the courts. She told the judge everything she knew: from how he was forced into this war to how much he had to sacrifice for the sake of his family. Pride and all. Those statements were not deemed concrete and therefore Tris was excused even before the court has finished debating. She told them everything. And nothing was ever enough. And now Eric has to face death. 48 hours from now.

But there must be another way out. And if there isn't, Tris will create a way out. She would do anything by this point.

"Tris, some things can't be helped-"

"Why are you okay with this?" she laughs suddenly, shaking her head, "They are going to _kill_ you."

He doesn't reply at first. He just stares into the distance. For a moment, Tris wants to join him but obviously there is nothing to stare at. Just the cell wall, "What do you propose?"

She glances at Bert, who is pacing the floor with his big gun. Getting past him would not be a problem. The man is as thick as a nail. It's what lies beyond these cells that is the real problem.

"I'll think of something," she repeats. Eric nods slowly. He doesn't want to die. He's just worried about what would happen to her if he did.

They stay in a passionate embrace for a while. And with every minute that passes by, Tris' arms start becoming slacker. They slide down his shoulders and past his torso. With a soft thud, her arms land onto the cell's bed. Eric thinks that she got tired of holding onto him, and he wouldn't blame her. But when he pulls away, her eyes are closed and her soft breathing skims his shoulder.

He leans down to plant a kiss on her forehead. The stubble growing out around his jawbone highlights the stress of the past few weeks. So much has happened. And he hasn't had any time to shave.

He cradles her in his lap, allowing his gentle rocking to lull her into a deep sleep. When Bert taps on the metal bars, Eric almost loses it.

"Time's up," Bert pipes up cheerfully, his stupid voice way too loud. It doesn't startle Tris in the slightest. She continues to sleep.

Eric looks up at the guard, giving him a long glare, "Piss off."

"Do you want me to zap you?" Bert holds up a taser, his bushy eyebrows raised almost to the top of his receding hairline.

"Do you want me to cut your fucking head off?" Eric growls, tightening his grip on the girl.

After about two seconds of pondering, Bert turns around and leaves. Probably to get help or something. Eric doesn't care. As long as Tris is here, and he is there with her, everything they do to hurt him will ricochet onto her.

 **Please review and tell me what you thought :)**


	11. Tortured

Tris clenches her metallic mug until her knuckles turn white. All blood has already drained from her fingers and rushed backwards to her heart. Soon, the tips of her fingers will turn purple. The problem is, she doesn't feel anything. Not the numbness. Not the pain. Nothing.

Her other hand writhes around her mouth, too shaky to land on a spot. She gave up chewing her nails a long time ago. It was deemed useless when she realized that she could never capture them between her lips.

Her eyes are a total contradiction to the rest of her body. They are dead. They stare off into the distance, not registering the passing Candors and Dauntless. At least her hands are still moving.

They were supposed to leave for Factionless this morning, but nobody could force her. She didn't want to move knowing that Eric would still be here in the cells. Alone. Besides, his execution was coming up. She didn't want to witness it, but not being there would ride her with guilt for the rest of her life.

It wasn't going to happen. She would not let them. She needed to come up with something. And fast.

Tris looks down into the mug, watching as the coffee that has kept her awake for so long cools down before her eyes. The steam disappears.

A piercing scream jolts life into her. Her eyes react quicker than her hands, darting in the direction of the sound. People start running. Collected black and white figures plunder into chaos, dropping their notebooks, pens, whatever they are holding.

Tris jumps up, barely aware that her hand has knocked the mug off the table, spilling the contents.

Satisfied with her speed and agility, she races though the crowds, heading for the growing screams of a girl, "they're going to jump!"

Four stands at the front of the mob, his head tilted back, looking up. For a second, Tris thinks that he is breathing in the air which comes from an open window. His eyes would be closed. His shoulders relaxed. He wouldn't be here though. Tris imagines that he would be somewhere safe. His happy place.

But this isn't his happy place. This is Candor. Here, he had the truth serum running though his veins, taking and demanding information. And right now his eyes are open. His shoulders tense. As if he is ready to pounce.

She follows his gaze and sees three black figures at the top of the stairs, leading to Candor's main hall. They don't look like they are going to walk down them. They have turned to face the railing, which is far too short for a place like this.

Tris' stomach drops. Christina is among those figures. So is Marlene. The third figure is a small boy. She can't make out his features.

Tori nudges Tris' shoulder with hers. They stare at each other for a moment, clearly distracted by the way they collided. But then Tori nods. And Tris nods. And they start running. Towards their robotic friends.

SHSHSHSHSHSH

Eric's hands are weaker now. Every time Tris squeezes them, he does not respond. Either he doesn't want to or he can't find the strength.

Marlene died today. 'Suicide' Jack Kang calls it. But it was murder. She was being controlled.

Tris and Tori managed to save Christina and Hector. That's who the boy was. It wasn't his time yet.

Grief and depression and longing run though Tris' body. She thought that Jeanine was a serial killer, but no. She is doing all this for a reason. She is trying to get her attention. And what better way of doing it than eliminating everyone she cares about? It certainly worked before.

"You're not going anywhere," Eric says for the hundredth time today, "Don't give in like this."

She has decided to head to Erudite. She isn't threatening to do it. She isn't hoping anyone would follow her. But once Eric is free she is going. And he won't follow her. She will make sure that he doesn't.

The prison corridor is blissfully quiet. The guards have learned to leave when visiting hours are on. Mostly, they extend their time. Mostly, she can stay in Eric's cell. Like she is now.

His enormous arm wraps around her waist and pulls her closer, "You can't save everyone."

"I can't save anyone," Tris replies, nuzzling his neck. It's still warm and it smells like him. She can't imagine him gone.

"Tris," his voice grumbles as his hands find her hips, "She is going to kill you. You. Have. To. Stay,"

"No," she pulls away to look into his eyes. They are very cloudy. And his eyebrows are furrowed. He means what he is saying.

"I won't let anyone hurt you as long as I am alive," he whispers, running a hand into her messy hair, "and if you could co-operate, that would be extremely helpful."

A small smile spreads around her lips, but it is gone quicker than he would have hoped it would be. Their eyes lock in a moment of pure passion. Everything else is still, but their souls are writhing around one another.

Suddenly, his lips find hers. At first he is unsure how he should kiss her. Passionately? Reluctantly? Fearfully? But once she kisses back, it all becomes clear. Their lips move together, afraid that something or someone would break them apart. As much as Tris doesn't want that to happen, it will. She can feel it.


	12. Releasing the Beast

**Long time no uploading xD You guys know how it is. College, college, life, college. I have had a bit of a hard time lately, but I am here now. Praying for Miracles is nearly finished. But I am sure that I will write loads more stories :)**

The only thing on his mind was Tris. He knew he was going to die. He didn't care. Right now Tris wanted to hand herself in to Erudite leadership. It was an insane idea on her behalf. But if he knows Tris at all, then nothing can change her mind. His only chance of saving her is to physically hold her back.

Eric's boots are covered with dried mud. Or shit. It's hard to tell. What a journey they made with him. The drizzle of rain seeping in through the gaps between the iron bars made the filth on Eric's boots glisten. He watches it curiously, paying close attention to how his dried shoelaces twitch with every sharp blow of the wind.

His arm hairs hold tiny droplets of the drizzle. He has now become immune to the coldness of the cell. He doesn't wipe them away. What's the point?

He should have hung himself with these damn shoelaces before today. Today is his execution.

There is a shudder in the building. And a clanging of metal.

Eric furrows his eyebrows, snapping out of his depressing trance. Is it Tris? It's still early in the morning and she hasn't yet visited him.

A smile creeps onto his face. It's faint, but it's there.

He steps closer to the gate and twists his fingers around the metallic bars. It's dark and the only ray of sunshine managing to sneak in stays in a small corner of his cell. Plus it's raining. So it really isn't that bright.

There is a faint groan. And then a thud. And then the doors fly open. Tris.

She appears to be a bit off. There are bags under her eyes and her actual eyes are red. She looks like she hadn't slept in a week. Eric's eyes travel down to her arms. She is carrying something. It's a black and white Candor shirt.

"Hey, I got you," she whispers more to herself rather than him, "I got you." Her chest rises and falls rapidly as she looks around. Eric instantly recognizes that body language. It's adrenaline. She is powered by adrenaline.

"What are you doing?" He barely gets the chance to finish his sentence when she fires back her reply.

"We need to get out of here," Tris wrestles a massive bunch of keys from her pocket and proceeds to poking one into the keyhole after the other. Eric's eyes widen. How did she…? Where did she…?

His hands clench around the iron bars as his heartrate increases. She is not fucking around. She can get him out of here. She can actually get him out of here.

The depression and anxiety get replaced with hope in a heartbeat. His eyes scan over her shaky hands as she struggles to find the right key.

"Try that one," Eric point to a copper one, glaring slightly. She complies. It fits. And the lock clicks before the door creaks open.

Freedom.

He wastes no time. He makes his first step as Tris backs away. The atmosphere changes, but not a lot. It is still freezing and damp. The only difference is that neither of them can feel it anymore.

She smiles up at him, for a moment concealing her anxiety. That is when they hear a familiar voice.

"Bert, where you at, pal?" they turn their heads in unison to see Ernie limping into the room. He squints, appearing to be lost. There is a bloodstain on his wrist, seeping through his white shirt. His small eyes glance up at Eric, widening momentarily.

He knows his queue. Eric steps forward and wraps his enormous arm around Ernie. Before he can make a sound, his neck snaps like a piece of liquorice, and he falls to the floor.

Tris squeezes the Candor shirt close to her chest, looking away. Another death. She takes a moment to catch her breath. If she is going to get Eric out of this building, she needs to accept the fact that some people will die.

"You okay?" Eric asks, his voice a booming canon in the silence. She jumps slightly, changing the subject.

"I took care of the cameras," she sighs, "Just on this floor though. So when we start going down, you need to try and blend in."

He takes her shoulders in both his hands, squeezing, "I understand."

She shoves the garment at him, "Here."

Automatically, Eric grips his collar and pulls until his shirt is off. Carelessly, he tosses it onto the floor. Tris feels a rush of heat swim up to her face. It's exactly how she remembered it to be. His body. Toned and hard. Some scars here and there. Some black ink hugging his muscles.

He gets the Candor shirt on very quickly. Almost as if he doesn't want Tris to look. She averts her eyes when she notices how bad white looks on him. He was born to wear black.

A sharp poke against her lower back makes her shiver. She reaches around and pulls out a small handgun. It was the only weapon she could sneak in without arousing suspicion. Eric takes it and turns the safety off, looking down at her.

She widens her eyes as he glares. For a moment it looks like he is about to shoot her. But then she comes back to reality. He glares. It's natural. It's Eric.

 **Review and tell me what you thought :)**


	13. A Climb To The Empire State

**GUUUUUUUYS HAVE YOU SEEN ALLEGIANT?! Oh my, I can't stop thinking about that film. I was so happy that Miles got so many scenes in it. If you have seen it, don't forget to share your opinions :)**

 **We are close to the ending of this story now. Enjoy this chapter :)**

Tris pulls him closer, struggling to reach his lips. As if he is slipping away.

Her gun is safely tucked under the waistband of her pants but the bulge is still visible. Nobody is going to ask her questions though. There are five year olds running around with Kalashnikovs. Everybody should be armed in case of another attack.

She reaches up again, cupping his face in her hands, trying to pull him down. His eyes are somewhere else. He is looking past her at the door they still have to walk through.

"Babe, you have to listen," she whispers, "You have to stay close to me… you have to stay close to me-"

"I will," he grumbles back, his eyebrows furrowed. At least now he is coming back to earth. Tris tries not to stand on Ernie's body as she takes a step closer to the door.

"Keep your head down, we can't risk any-"

"I know, Tris," he nearly spits. The veins on his neck stick out a little. But they disappear as fast as they emerged. His shoulders sink, "I know," he tries again, more gently.

She nods.

He sighs.

"I'll get you out of here," her smile falters. At that moment his lips finally find hers. They feel warm. Weirdly warm, despite the fact he lived in a cage for days. She kisses him back with as much passion as he gives her. This could be their last stand off. She could get get killed. He could get killed. One of them will probably get killed.

At that moment Tris mentally scolds herself for not thinking of a much stealthier plan. But then again, she had no time. His execution is in a couple of hours.

She pulls away from the kiss, nuzzling the crook of his neck like an attention seeking puppy.

"Lead the way," Eric grumbles, "I'll follow you."

Reluctantly, she nods. And then they are off.

Tris does not even notice how she pulled down the door handle and swung it open. She doesn't remember the moment when she stepped out into an open hallway, catching a few glances from passing by girls. They giggle quietly, holding onto their history books, their black skirts swinging from side to side. A rush of hatred runs through Tris's body. Their life is too easy.

She forces her feet to move forward, looking around like a wildcat. At that point, the ringing in her ears grows louder. She cringes. Every step, every door slamming, even the laughing initiate group of girls that just walked past are muffled by her fear. All the blood rushes to her face. And every sound amplifies.

She nearly jumps out of her skin when she feels Eric's breath skimming the back of her neck. He whispers something. It comes out more like a hiss. All words blended together.

The piercing morning light streams in from every single window, hitting her like thousands of knives. It's almost the same as having a target strapped to her back while jumping around and yelling _'Yoohoo! I am escaping with a prisoner! Catch me if you can!'_

Tris feels her heart rate pump two times faster than usual as she forces her way through the crowd. It's amazing how nobody has caught them yet. Amazing. They walk down a set of white stairs, eyes glued to the floor. Just a little bit more. They are on the ground floor now.

She risks a peek at the nearest security guards. Two of them are preoccupied in a conversation. The other two near a different set of doors have their eyes on the cluster of people walking in and out of the building. Tris scans their folded arms. They are both holding guns.

She takes a deep breath when Eric casually slips his hand into hers. She almost gasps when a white shirt appears near her. But it's Eric. It's just Eric.

They find themselves blending into the crowd. Tris is small. Nobody can notice her that easily. But Eric is different. Everybody can spot Eric.

Somebody squeals in excitement near the entrance. And the whole group of people around that person turns. Tris looks directly at them. Shocked faces. One girl covering her mouth. It doesn't take Tris too long to figure out what is going on. They have been spotted. And that squeal she heard wasn't excitement at all.

Like dominos, black and white, everyone turns to look at the couple. Ones who were nearest to them are now scrambling away, glancing over their shoulders in fear.

"Freeze!" A man yells from behind them. Somehow, Eric takes that as a completely different command and pulls out the gun Tris gave him. There is a shot. And that is when all hell breaks loose.

In unison, the people who are in the enormous space start screaming. And most of them collapse, as if they are dead corpses that have been unchained from the ceiling. Tris almost apologizes when she bumps shoulders with a boy.

"I said freeze!" The guard yells again, pressing his gun against his shoulder and squinting through the target loop. This is it. It's now or never. There won't be any more chances after this. Just one. Just one chance. And Tris has to take it.

She whips out her cold metallic gun from the waistband of her trousers and aims. Then shoots the man directly between the eyes. A curious hush falls down on them. Tris counts the seconds. One... Two...

Still quiet.

Three... Four...

"Surrender immediately!" Another guard yells. As soon as the words leave his mouth, his body doubles over and falls from the second floor where the railing was supposed to keep him safe. Eric has taken his shot.

The screaming starts again. Like ants set on fire, the crowd scurries away from the scene.

"Tris, go!" He groans, trying to grab her hand. But it feels more like a slap. He doesn't wait. He runs to the entrance.

As she follows, a familiar pair of eyes set on hers. And once they do, it is hard to look away. They know her inside out. Those eyes. Those gorgeous brown eyes. _What are you doing?_ Four would say. _You'll get yourself killed._

 _No I won't. They wouldn't shoot me. Eric is the target._

Eric.

She breaks the eye contact and looks straight ahead as they finally reach the double doors. Eric is still in front of her. Good. She winces as he uses his gun again. His aim is never off.

"Keep going!" She shouts, "I'll cover you!"

Tris squeezes her gun tightly, glancing over her shoulder. Four has joined the guards. He fits right in. The hard stare. Merciless. But she knows better. He wouldn't aim at her. Neither would the others. Eric's best chance of survival is for her to be a human shield. So she becomes one.

By quickening her pace, her feet land in hard mud. They are outside now. The air has turned icier. But her lungs are burning.

She presses her hands against Eric's back as they run. It's hard to keep up, but she pushes herself. "The train! Where is the nearest train?!"

"Keep running!" She isn't sure if Eric has heard her. He hasn't answered her question, so she tries again.

"Where is the railway?!"

Tris gasps loudly as a bullet skims the side of her shirt. That was fucking close. She looks back again to see one or two soldiers running after them. Four is nowhere to be seen. And the Candor building starts fading away with the help of the cold morning fog.

Eric groans loudly, slowing down for just a second, but he regains his footing and continues to run.

"Tris!" He grabs her hand and squeezes, yanking her forward. "We're nearly there!" Another bullet whirls past them, burying itself in a nearby lamppost. She notices Eric starting to limp as his breathing becomes laboured. The white Candor shirt becomes grey as it stick to his back. His skin starts to glisten. Why is he sweating so much? Tris was running for exactly the same time and aside from burning lungs and aching legs, she feels okay.

The banging behind them suddenly stops. Tris glances over her shoulder quickly to see their hunters slowing down. One of the soldiers halts completely, shaking his head in exhaustion.

"Eric, we're losing them," she gasps breathlessly, pulling him back. She can afford to slow down now. Especially when Eric clearly needs a break. But he doesn't stop. He continues running.

SHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSH

"Can you hear that?"

"Train!"

"Keep going!" Eric practically shoves her forward as they start running alongside the speedy locomotive. Tris has never ran this fast before in her life. Sure, her days at Dauntless have pushed her further than where she was expecting to end up, but this is a whole new level. Normally the trains start up slowly, giving the chance for the Dauntless to catch up, but in this case the train has been on the move for hours. It has picked up speed and is now darting between buildings.

Her legs have turned completely numb. It powers her to carry on. At least there is no pain. Although she is sure that when she stops, they will start throbbing.

"Go, Tris!" Eric grabs her hips and lifts her up to the train car. She takes her chance and grabs one of the handles before dragging herself in. Shortly afterwards, Eric pulls his body inside as well, grunting as he slams himself against the hard floor.

Tris presses her forehead against the vibrating surface of the train car, her heavy panting emitting a light mist. She feels a giggle bubbling up at the back of her throat. They did it. They actually did it. She helped a prisoner escape and she was successful. And now they are free. Now they can start building a life together, "Oh my god." Everybody is relying on her to save the peace. To save the city. And she is finally free to choose. She is free to say no. Because of Eric.

"We made it," she breathes, feeling her arms shake as she tries to make a gap between her and the floor. She was right before. The aching would catch up to her. And she certainly feels it now.

"Argh," Eric grunts, leaning against a wooden crate near the doors. It's probably supplies that were previously loaded at Dauntless.

The amount of moisture on Eric's forehead catches her by surprise. He seems to have caught his breath at least, but physically he does not look great. If she hadn't known him like she does, his reaction would be totally normal to watch. If it wasn't for the fact that he was a Dauntless tank. If it wasn't for the fact that there was a growing blood stain above his belt.

Tris' smile falters.

"You're injured," she whimpers, shuffling closer to a him.

In response, he smirks and shakes his head, looking out at the horizon, "It's just a scratch."

"Are you sure?"

"Tris, I can't feel it," his eyes scan her face, deep in concentration but miles away.

She hovers her hand above his wound, wincing as he hisses and sits up.

"Eric, you're injured," she repeats.

"I told you," he frowns, "It's just a scratch." She places a hand against his forehead, watching as his eyelids start to droop.

"Did you get any sleep last night?"

He shakes his head.

"Me neither," she whispers, finding her smile again. There is nothing to worry about now. No trials to wait for. What a relief, "Get some sleep. I'll be here."

He watches her.

"Then we can figure something out. I can find some bandages."

"No, you sleep," he protests, pulling her closer to his lap, "I will take the first watch."

Tris didn't realize how tired she was until her head landed on Eric's chest. His steady heartbeat and the chilly breeze allow her to drift out of consciousness. The rocking of the train car and the warmth emitting from his body soothes her. She squeezes her eyes shut as Eric's musky smell engulfs her senses.

"You have to get off this train," he mumbles, pressing his lips against her head, "I'll wake you up when its time."


	14. Finale

**This is the last chapter of the series. Thank you so much for all the follows and favourites and reviews. You have all been so supportive, which really motivated me to make this the best story I have ever made. I hope you enjoy this chapter. And please go and check out 'Confident', which is my new easy-going Eris story.**

 **Here we go :)**

Tris wakes up as the train shudders. Her eyes snap open for a second, and then she closes them again.

Eric's warmth hugs her, bringing safety and sanctuary to her soul. A faint smile finds her lips. They are here. They have escaped. She feels like she has repeated this a thousand times in her head. Just to stop her hands from shaking. But it's true. Her smile grows wider.

She squints slightly as the piercing sunset finds her face once the train turns. It's surprisingly sunny for such a shit rainy week so far. The heat of the sun and the breeze of the wind find an equilibrium, balancing out the atmosphere on the train. Tris presses her cheek against Eric's chest, now fully awake.

They pass a woodland area, and she immediately recognises her surroundings. The Amity compound ends. And the tips of concrete buildings appear in the skyline. They have to her off soon. She isn't sure where exactly but Eric will know what to do. He will guide her. Like he always has.

She tightens her arm around his torso, mumbling sleepily, "Are we there yet?" When he doesn't reply, she smirks. The howling wind hits her square in the face as the train makes another turn. It causes her to cringe and move away from the open door, nuzzling closer to Eric.

A pang of guilt makes her heart stop. Four. She abandoned him. After everything he has done for her. Even though he wanted to get rid of Eric and bring her over to his side of the game, his heart was in the right place. He has only wanted what's best for Tris. Even if he didn't have a good way of showing it. He will be fine. Of course he will. He knows she is safe with Eric. And happy. He will be fine.

"Babe, wake up. We have to go," the train starts slowing down and Tris bolts up. The last thing she wants is for anyone to see them. Tris Prior. And an Erudite soldier. She shuffles away from Eric's body, tucks her legs under her and glances up at his face.

His lips are slightly parted. And he looks like he has no intention of waking up. The colour drains from Tris' face to match Eric's.

"Hey," she smiles slightly, leaning closer and cupping his face in her hands. This is the most peaceful she has ever seen him. Her heart rate rises. There is a crease between his eyebrows. As if he has just yelled at an initiate, feeling unimpressed. By still peaceful. Way too peaceful.

She leans in to kiss the corner of his lips. Her heart now hammering against her chest.

"Eric?" She doesn't know what she is expecting. But she knows what she isn't.

She keeps a hand on his cheek as the other one trails down to his abdomen. Just a scratch, right? A gasp escapes her lips when warm blood coats the tips of her fingers. She peels his shirt out of the way, forcing herself to look. A wound. Obviously. Not a scratch. But a hole. Seeping blood that is still warm. Only then, she realizes that there is a red mark on her hip. A side effect on leaning against Eric as she slept.

"Eric!" She wants to bang her head against a wall at how panicky her voice starts to sound. He would not have been impressed. No, he won't be impressed. His eyes will open and he will glare and then shake his head and then tell her how weak she is. It would put a smile on her face. She wouldn't care about how mad he could get. She would be so happy.

Her eyes scan the veins bulging out of his neck. Then they trail up to his lips. She sees how dry they are. She sees his heavy eyelids. She sees the blue behind his skin. No, this isn't real.

Both her hands return to his face, shaking his heavy head in an attempt to stir him awake, "Eric! Wake up!" A sob makes her jump. It came from her mouth. It was too loud. Too soon, "Wake up!"

The tears do not have the time to burn her eyes. They stream down straight away, making her cheeks itch. They just keep coming and coming until a steady trickle forms on her chin, spilling onto Eric's shirt.

"Oh my God, Eric," her voice sounds foreign now. She repeats his name again and again until it loses its meaning. It loses the person. It belongs to no one now.

Her stubborn nature refuses to make her see what is right there in front of her. She ignores it. It cannot be there. Eric's dead body. It cannot possibly be there.

"I love you," her last attempt at rousing him squeaks out of her throat. No use. He won't come back. So she just crouches there for what feels like an eternity, rocking herself and him, hoping to erase the pain. They have come too far now. Was it all for nothing?

No. Tris sees the blurred Erudite building forming in front of her. It's not too late to finish this. Or Marlene's death like her mother's death and her father's death and Eric's would be for nothing.

She can stop fighting now. She is free to go. She can finish this once and for all. That little motivation she got when she woke up can power her through. It always will.

 **So the hope is that she can pick up at Erudite headquarters like in the film.**

 **Other than that, please don't kill me xD I have tried to warn you with the king kong reference. Like, come on. Everyone knows what happens to king Kong.**

 **Review and tell me what you thought :)**


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